The state Fish and Wildlife Commission will receive briefings on a proposed process to restructure the management of salmon and sturgeon fisheries in the lower Columbia River during a special meeting Wednesday and Thursday in Olympia. The commission also will be briefed on the process to review and update the Puget Sound shrimp policy.
Fishery managers will present the commission a proposed process and timeline for working with their counterparts in Oregon to consider restructuring management of salmon and sturgeon fisheries in the lower Columbia River. That discussion is scheduled to begin about 3 p.m. Wednesday.
The proposed process was developed jointly with Oregon’s Department of Fish and Wildlife, which was asked last month by Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber to make changes to salmon and sturgeon fisheries as an alternative to a citizen initiative that would ban gillnetting on Oregon’s side of the Columbia River.
In a statement released after Kitzhaber made his request, Washingon Fish and Wildlife Director Phil Anderson said: “We agree with Governor Kitzhaber that Columbia River fisheries management is very complex and requires the states to balance the legitimate needs and interests of many important groups and organizations. We respect the objectives he expresses in his letter, but are not bound by them.”
Also on Wednesday, Anderson is to give the commission an update on the status of wolves in the state. On Aug. 7, wildlife managers killed a wolf from a pack that has repeatedly preyed on livestock in a remote part of northeast Washington for the past five years.
On Thurdsay, the commission will receive a briefing on the process to update the Puget Sound shrimp policy. As part of the ongoing process, department staff will present recent input they received from the commercial and recreational shrimp advisory groups on proposed management options for the Puget Sound shrimp fishery.
If you go
WHEN: The meeting is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. on Wednesay and 8:30 a.m. Thursday.
WHERE: Room 172, Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E., Olympia.
AGENDA: The items to be considered during the special meeting is available on the commission’s website at wdfw.wa.gov/commission/meetings.html.
WATCH ONLINE: On both days, TVW (tvw.org) is scheduled to provide a live webcast of the commission meeting.
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